Could your painful breasts be a clogged duct or mastitis

Let’s be honest for a minute:  Being a new mom means getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.  Sitting down?  Hurts.  Standing up?  Aches.  Bathroom activities?  Altered. Boobs?  Swollen.  Nipples?  Cracked.   

Sometimes super swollen and cracked. 

Sometimes painfully and disproportionately swollen, hardened, and cracked. 

The two most common causes for swollen and painful nipples are clogged duct, or mastitis.  How does one know if they are afflicted by one of these conditions?  And how can you tell the difference between the two? 

Let’s break it down: 

Clogged Duct:  This condition is exactly what it sounds like.  A clogged duct is an area of the breast where milk flow is blocked. The blockage can be found in the nipple itself or even further down the ductal system.   A clogged duct tends to become gradually noticeable and tends to only effect one breast. 

Symptoms of a clogged duct include redness, hotness, swelling, and a hard lump or wedge on or underneath the nipple.  Plugged ducts tend to be more painful before a feeding, and can be particularly painful during let down.  There are generally no other obvious systemic side effects associated with clogged ducts, but you might notice stringy or thickened grains of fatty milk when nursing or pumping.  You might also notice a decrease in milk supply. 

 

Mastitis:  This condition happens to nearly 20% of new mothers, and generally occurs in the first 2-3 weeks postpartum.  While mastitis can be caused by an obstruction, much like a clogged duct, it can often be caused by an infection or allergy.  Unlike clogged ducts, mastitis comes on quickly and painfully.   

The pain mastitis is more intense than a clogged duct and can often cause red streaks to appear on the skin around the affected area.  What sets mastitis apart from a clogged duct are the physical symptoms that accompany it.  Women suffering from mastitis often have fevers of over 101.3, as well as flu like symptoms and extreme exhaustion.  (You know, more than just the typical exhausted mother type.)  Milk can often look lumpy, chunky, or gelatin like.  (That sentence even grossed ME out.)  The milk will often taste salty and occasionally contains mucus or blood.   

Ultimately, when in doubt, call your doctor.  While it may be true that motherhood is painful, there is no need in suffering needlessly.  Clogged ducts and mastitis alike can rob you of sleep, happiness, and even threaten your ability to nurse.  Mothers have to suffer enough as it is.  Life is short:  Sit on doughnut pillows and call your doctor if you’re worried about your aching boobs.